Obama, Romney Spar Over Attacks

By

Laura Meckler and

Carol E. Lee

Sept. 12, 2012 8:56 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The attacks on American diplomatic missions sparked a harsh debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on Wednesday, with Mr. Romney using the episode to escalate his argument that the president is an overeager apologist and Mr. Obama to charge that his Republican foe "seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later."

U.S. envoy Christopher Stevens. Associated Press

Mr. Romney said an early response from the U.S. Embassy in Cairo amounted to an apology for the American value of free speech, for which he blamed the Obama administration.

The comments reflected his longstanding argument that Mr. Obama has apologized for American actions and embraced criticism of the country, a critique the Obama campaign rejects.

But Mr. Romney's decision to criticize the president before the situation overseas had become clear became subject of debate among members of both parties.

In their own statements on the incidents, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) and many other Republicans responded to the news but didn't criticize Mr. Obama.

Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney issues a statement on the attack of the American Embassy in Libya, saying that America must strive to ensure the 'Arab Spring' doesn't become the 'Arab Winter.'

President Barack Obama makes a statement on the death of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton discusses the death of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens.

Mr. Obama, in turn, worked to advance his case that Mr. Romney lacks the judgment and experience needed to be commander in chief. "Gov. Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later. And as president, one of the things I've learned is you can't do that," the president told CBS's "60 Minutes."

The president also put the advantages of incumbency on display, appearing in the Rose Garden to express condolences for the four American lives lost at a U.S. consulate in Libya and vow to pursue justice.

The situation didn't keep either candidate from the campaign trail. After delivering their morning statements, Mr. Romney attended a fundraiser in Jacksonville, Fla., and Mr. Obama flew to Las Vegas to headline a rally with some 4,000 supporters.

The events put foreign policy, long a muted subject in the campaign, at the center of a race that has been dominated by the U.S. economy. They also added to the importance of the third and final presidential debate scheduled for October, which will focus on foreign affairs.

That could be helpful to Mr. Obama, whom voters say they trust more to handle world affairs. On the campaign trail, the president and his allies regularly talk about his work to end the war in Iraq, kill Osama bin Laden and degrade al Qaeda's strength.

The written statement by Mr. Romney's campaign issued late Tuesday night accused the Obama administration of a "disgraceful" response to the events abroad. It was referring to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Cairo that had condemned a U.S. film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad. That film has been faulted for sparking the anti-American protests there.

The following morning, after the events in Libya were clear and the death of the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were known, Mr. Romney said his criticisms remained valid.

"It's a terrible course for America to stand in apology for our values, that instead, when our grounds are being attacked and being breached, that the first response of the United States must be outrage at the breach of the sovereignty of our nation. And apology for America's values is never the right course,'' Mr. Romney said at a news conference in Jacksonville, where he also offered condolences to the families of the Americans killed in Libya.

Mr. Obama, in the CBS interview, criticized Mr. Romney's response to the incidents.

"It appears that Gov. Romney didn't have his facts right," he said. Aides said Mr. Romney had wrongly suggested that the Cairo embassy statement condemning efforts to incite Muslims was issued after the violence had begun; it was issued before the violence unfolded. The White House also rejected assertions that the administration was apologizing for America.

The president added that the embassy statement was issued by people on the ground, facing danger.

"My tendency is to cut folks a little bit of slack when they're in that circumstance, rather than try to question their judgment from the comfort of a campaign office," he said.

Other Republicans questioned Mr. Romney's timing. Rep. Peter King of New York, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Mr. Romney had a legitimate point but made it at the wrong time.

Rushing to criticize the administration, he said, "injects it into the political debate, and to me, when there's a crisis unfolding, it can be counterproductive to become part of an intense partisan debate."

"If there was ever a moment to take your time and be measured, this would have been a good one," said veteran Republican strategist Ed Rogers. "What he said was imprecise and not very polished. And how he said it was not worthy of the moment."

Ari Fleischer, former press secretary to President George W. Bush, noted that Mr. Obama was intensely critical of the war in Iraq when he was running for president, despite violence there. "It's what challengers do, and it is appropriate," he said of Mr. Romney's criticisms of Mr. Obama.

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